Welcome to wrestlingobserver.com’s coverage of the UFC Fight Night from Brazil weigh-ins.
Headlined by Demian Maia taking on Ryan LaFlare headlines and Josh Koscheck returning to take on Erick Silva, the event airs on FOX Sports One and comes live from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Rio is the second largest city in Brazil, the sixth largest city in the Americas and the world’s thirty-fifth largest city by population.
Former UFC Middleweight Title challenger, Demian Maia is simply a genius on the ground. The 2007 ADCC World Champion made a move to welterweight in 2012 and hasn’t looked back since. Dominant wins over Dong Hyun Kim, Jon Fitch, and Rick Story featured Maia doing what he does best: pull opponents to the mat and ruin them.
Though his last fight saw him lose to the current #1 contender for the UFC Welterweight Title, Rory MacDonald, it also saw him show for the first five minutes of said fight why he is so dangerous. His unique ability to literally drag foes to the canvas and impose his jiu-jitsu makes most fighters tentative. Though ranked #7 by the UFC, Maia still needs a win to remain relevant in the deep welterweight title picture.
Ryan LaFlare has quietly put together a four-fight win streak inside the Octagon, resulting in his first UFC main-event. The #14 UFC-Ranked welterweight hasn’t fought in nearly a year, as injuries have sidelined him since a decision over Jon Howard last April.
The former high school state wrestling champion puts his 11-0 record on the line against Maia, and though fighting in Brazil is a daunting task for some, LaFlare’s UFC career has featured as many frequent flyer miles as anyone. His four fights have taken place in: Brazil, Sweden, Abu Dhabi, and the United States.
Josh Koscheck brings to the cage an impressive four-fight losing streak, with his last win being in 2012 when he beat Mike Pierce by split decision. Worse for the former UFC Welterweight Title challenger is that the last three losses have all been by finish, twice seeing Koscheck knocked out in less than five minutes.
The Ultimate Fighter Season One veteran and NCAA National Champion wrestler saw his career peak in 2010 when he challenged Georges St. Pierre for the Welterweight Championship. He lost a decisive five round decision. After taking off 2014, he returned to action on February 28th, fighting Jake Ellenberger. He lost by submission in the second round. Far nearer to retirement than glory, Koscheck fighting Erick Silva – on paper – is a sad reminder that many fighters grow old before they grow wise enough to quit.
Silva made his UFC debut with much hype. Seen as a can’t-miss prospect, the Brazilian’s career has never fully come together. Silva can look like a fighting god one moment and a mere mortal the next. As his UFC career enters its fourth year, the well-rounded and athletic Silva will hope to build on his most recent fight: a first round mauling of RoufuSport alum Mike Rhodes. A win for Silva would see him achieve a career first in the UFC: consecutive wins.
The full card:
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Main Card
FOX Sports one, 10 p.m. ET
Ryan LaFlare(171) vs. Demian Maia(171)
Josh Koscheck(170) vs. Erick Silva(171)
Tony Martin(156) vs. Leonardo Santos(156)
Shayna Baszler(136) vs. Amanda Nunes(136)
Gilbert Burns(154) vs. Alex Oliveira(155)
Andre Fili(145) vs. Godofredo Pepey(145)
Preliminary Card
FOX Sports 2, 8 p.m. ET
Akbarh Arreola(156) vs. Francisco Trinaldo(155)
Katsunori Kikuno(146) vs. Kevin Souza(146)
Drew Dober(156) vs. Leandro Silva(156)
Cain Carrizosa(155) vs. Leonardo Mafra(155)
Preliminary Card
UFC Fight Pass, 7 p.m. ET
Jorge de Oliveira(156) vs. Christos Giagos(155)
Fredy Serrano(125) vs. Bentley Syler(126)